What I Learned From Doing Mark of the Conifer

What I Learned From Doing Mark of the Conifer

Feb 14, 2020

1. Everything you're afraid of is true. When I really sat down and decided I was going to try publishing, I had a panic attack. A legit, teeth chattering, sick-to-my-stomach panic attack that I had to do breathing exercises to get through. And a lot of cuddling my cat and writing in my journal about what I was so scared of for the next few days. I think the regular stuff was there: what if it doesn't work? What if I fail? What if nobody likes me? But the two biggest things I was afraid of were the work and succeeding. What the HELL was I going to do if I succeeded!?
Turns out absolutely everything I was scared of was right on the money. The a

I trained in graphic design and my body of work encompasses illustration, comics, tutorials, digital games and children's books. I was apprenticed to a master calligrapher for several years and I am now settled in London, UK as a full-time artist and author. I use the ancient Kufi script or abstract geometry to create art infused with meaning and reverence, and for this I revive historical art materials from the early medieval period. I prepare all my paints, inks, binders from raw materials.

My illustration work is now focused on the things I love the most: food, wildlife, and cultural diversity. Simple things that have filled my life with a magic I hope to pass on.

Lebanese Homecooking book

Lebanese Homecooking book

Nov 25, 2019

Did I never post about this?? Weird! My Lebanese cookbook was published about a year ago. If you're interested in a nice selection of over 30 Lebanese recipes, all illustrated and easy to follow, with an introduction to ingredients and the merest whiff of snark sprinkled throughout, look no further! You can grab it in my Cedarseed shop, where there are also other random food-related items for stocking fillers.

Natural inks for Inktober

Natural inks for Inktober

Oct 6, 2019

For Inktober I made... ink! As part of my return to natural materials, I started making my own calligraphy ink, based on ancient and durable recipes, and went on to experiment with what I could find while out foraging. I prepare them in small batches in my studio and they are completely environment-friendly. They are available in my shop and 20% off during the month of October, but let me tell you a little about them.
OAK GALL INK or iron gall ink was the medium used to write on parchment since Antiquity (encompassing Bibles, Qur'ans, even the Magna Carta), before paper brought carbon inks to the fore. The main component is tannin, extracted